Weekly Workout: Final Tactical Fitness Test

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Stew Smith

Our PT Group is transitioning from heavy weight exercises with less running and Cardio in a 12 week cycle to a 12-14 week cycle that involves more calisthenics, speed, and endurance with running and swimming. This will be a solid test of our strength and power exercises and challenge our running endurance. But, after this cycle of our Tactical Periodization Plan, the running, swimming, and rucking will all improve to more optimal levels. The Dirty Dozen Tactical Fitness Test can be applied in three ways:

All in one day (TOUGH)

Separate the strength and Power, speed and agility and endurance into two or three days

Break up Dirty Dozen into two to three events over the course of a year. Separate strength and power until after the strength cycle. Speed, agility and endurance should wait until after the calisthenics, speed, and endurance cycle.

Build up on the heavy lifts on the first 2 sets and test on set 3 (bench and dead lifts)

Day 2

Cardio Test: Dirty Dozen part 2

Run, swim, ruck in any order:

500m swim

25m buddy tow

3 mile timed run

400m sprint

4 mile ruck

Many who have started training using the Tactical Fitness test as a standard have commented they prefer the third option of breaking up the test throughout the year. This option keeps them focused on periodization training and more on optimal scoring in all the events throughout the year.

Stew Smith works as a presenter / editorial board with the Tactical Strength and Conditioning program of the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). There are also over 800 articles on Military.com Fitness Forum focusing on a variety of fitness, nutritional, and tactical issues military members face throughout their career.